The Daily Source of Urban Planning News

New York MTA Cuts Bus Service
The transit crisis continues.

Biden Administration Awards $1 Billion for ‘Build Back Better Regional Challenge’
The “Build Back Better Regional Challenge” will award $1 billion in grant funding from the American Rescue Plan to projects spanning 24 states.

Austin in the Top Five for Out-Migration
Fortunes are changing in Austin—a longtime magnet for new arrivals is dealing with skyrocketing housing costs and increasing amounts of out-migration.

Local Control for Solar; State Preemption for Oil and Gas
A solar energy facility planned for Fairfield County, Ohio is in critical condition after local governments express their displeasure.

Virginia’s Intercity Rail Investments Paying Off in New Ridership
State-supported rail lines in Virginia set a new ridership record in July.

San Francisco’s Big Redevelopment Plan Was Paused for Equity Analysis That Never Happened
Checking in with The Hub, a proposed rezoning that would enable a multi-parcel redevelopment at a conspicuous intersection, two years after the city paused the rezoning for additional analysis (spoiler alert: the analysis hasn’t even started).

Austin Overhauling Dangerous Intersections
Austin's Visio Zero program is hard at work, making significant changes to some of the city's most dangerous intersections.

The Inflation Reduction Act's Secret Climate Weapon
While the impact on inflation of the questionably-titled Inflation Reduction Act remains to be seen, the law will mitigate the damage done by a landmark Supreme Court case in June that gutted the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

Unmasking the Property Owners
There’s a reason land ownership is a matter of public record—but at the moment the records we have aren’t actually doing the job.

California Makes Planning History, Resets the Housing Status Quo
The California Legislature this week approved a historic package of bills, including a bill that allows affordable housing on commercially zoned properties and another that removes parking requirements near transit.

Philadelphia Plans for a Transit Revolution
Three coordinated, ambitious, simultaneous planning initiatives are underway at SEPTA, the regional transportation authority for Greater Philadelphia.

FEATURE
The Role of Microhousing in Ending Chronic Homelessness
Affordable, quick-build ‘tiny homes’ can serve as a key stepping stone to a permanent housing situation for people experiencing homelessness.

Final Piece of Atlanta BeltLine’s Route Falls Into Place
The choice of a route for the final segment of the Northwest Trail completes the planned route for the entire 22-mile length of the Atlanta BeltLine.

California High-Speed Rail Recommits to Bakersfield-to-Merced Segment
The California High-Speed Rail Authority also certified the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the San Francisco to San Jose section of the route in August.

Not Just Use: More Zoning Regulations to Unlock Housing Equity
Prohibiting single-family zoning alone won’t accomplish the needed transformation of the built environment in the United States.

Denver Makes it Easier for Landowners to Oppose Landmark Designation
The balance of power in the historic preservation process shifted slightly toward the preferences of property owners in Denver.

BLOG POST
Cool Planning for a Hotter Future
Global warming increases the importance of designing buildings and communities that are comfortable, efficient, and safe in hot conditions.

When Landlords Hide Behind LLCs
It’s difficult to know who owns property because corporate landlords and investors tend to structure their business as limited liability companies, or LLCs.

South Bend’s Infill Plans Include Pre-Approved Multi-Family Designs
South Bend commits to infill development by pre-approving a suite of residential development options.

Study: U.S. Highway Pavement Conditions Worse in Underserved Communities
The Federal Highway Administration doesn’t analyze the condition of pavement on U.S. highways. If it did, it would find vast inequities depending on which communities live nearby highway infrastructure.
Pagination
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.